Lamp structure



Oct. 19, 1965 o. A, LOHKEMPER ETAL 3,213,

LAMP STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 5, 1965 1TB. h 4

INVENTORS 0770 4. LOHKEMPER BY M/CA AEL J AMPS/S Oct. 19, 1965 o. A. LOHKEMPER ETAL 3,213,272

LAMP STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 5, 1963 INVENTORS 0770 /4. ZOfi/(EMPF/Q ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,213,272 LAMP STRUCTURE Otto A. Lohkemper, New Hyde Park, N.Y., and Michael J. Rapsis, Kearny, N..l., assignors to NJ. Thermex Company, Inc., Harrison, N.J., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Feb. 5, 1963, Ser. No. 256,455 1 Claim. (Cl. 240-51.11)

The present invention relates to illumination and electrical heating, and, more particularly, to improved lamp structure of the type which utilizes elongate illuminating or heating tubes, such as fluorescent lamp tubes and the like.

Fluorescent lighting is very desirable because a large amount of light can be produced by a small amount of power with little heat being radiated. These features are particularly desirable for use below deck on marine vessels, particularly submarines, where unnecessary heat is not wanted. However, in such environments of use the lamp structure is exposed to sea air and/or moist air having a high carbon dioxide content which corrodes the electrical terminals and connectors and the tube mounting elements to such an extent that removal and replacement of the illuminating tubes is difiicult or impossible. Consequently, fluorescent lighting has not been recommended for use in such environments. Furthermore, where heating lamps are required in the above environments, similar corrosion difliculties are prevalent.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide improved lamp structure which can be exposed to sea air or other corrosive atmospheric environments without being subject to the aforementioned difficulties.

Another object is to provide such lamp Structure wherein the electrical terminals, conductors and connectors and the tube mounting elements are sealed by air-tight closures but yet are readily accessible for replacement and repairs.

A further object is to provide such lamp structure which is simple, practical and economical.

Other and further objects will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description and is shown in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the specification, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of lamp structure embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 22 on FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 33 on FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of a tube mounting and terminal housing in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 55 on FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 66 on FIG. 4.

Referring now to the drawings in detail and, more particularly to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 thereof, there is shown a lamp which generally comprises an elongated shade or open bottom casing 10, brackets 11 for mounting the easing on a Wall or ceiling C, a reflector 12 in the casing, a screen or guard 14 for the open bottom of the casing, which is :pivotally mounted at one side of the casing to be swung away (FIG. 3) for access to the interior of the 3,213,272 Patented Oct. 19, 1965 casing, an air-tight terminal housing 15 secured to the casing adjacent each end thereof, an elongate lamp tube 16 in the casing having its ends supported by the housings l5, and a source of electrical power 17 including a pair of conductors 18 each connected to one end terminal 19 of the lamp tube 16 through a terminal housing 15 (1 16.4).

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the terminal housings 15 (of which only one is shown) each comprises a one-piece body 20 having an enlarged opening 21 for access to the interior thereof, an opening 22 opposite the opening 21 for one of the conductors 18 and an opening 24 intermediate the openings 21 and 22 for receiving one end of the lamp tube 16; a terminal block 25 constructed of electrical insulation mounted in the body 20 adjacent the enlarged opening 21 having a terminal 26 facing the opening 21 for connecting the conductor 18 and one end of a flexible electrical conductor 27 having its other end connect-ed to one of the lamp tube terminals 19; and airtight closure means for the openings 21, 22 and 24 about to be described in detail.

The opening 21 preferably is rectangular (FIG. 5), and its closure means include a gasket 28, a cover 29 and suitable means, such as bolts and nuts or screws 30 (FIGS. 2, 3 and 5) for removably securing the cover to the body 20 and to thereby provide an air-tight seal.

The closure means for the opening 22 include a tubular extension 31, having a flared bore 32 and being exteriorly threaded at its outer end, an annular wedgeshaped gasket 33 and protective shim 34 in the bore 32 through which the conductor 18 passes, and a cap-like element 35 threadedly secured to the extension 31 to effect compression of the gasket 33 to form an air-tight seal between the conductor 18 and the extension 31.

As shown herein the cap-like element is a sleeve 35 having an apertured partition 36 which compresses the gasket 34 and has the conductor 18 passing therethrough. The outer end of the sleeve 35 is exteriorly threaded and has a flared bore 37 for receiving an annular wedgeshaped gasket 38 through which the conductor passes. The lower edge of the gasket 38 rests upon a stepped metallic ring 39 for receiving stepped conductor 18 with some of its insulation removed, which ring in turn rests upon a gasket 40 having a tapered lower surface 41 for securing in the space provided thereby and another metallic gasket 42 resting on the partition 36 a shielded end 43 of the conductor 18, so as to provide an electrical ground for the conductor. An apertured cap 44 is threadedly secured to the outer end of the sleeve 35 and in abutting engagement with a protective shim 45 disposed over the gasket 38 to effect compression thereof and form an airtight seal between the conductor 18 and the sleeve 35.

The closure means for the opening 24 include a tubular extension 46 for receiving one end of the lamp tube 16, which extension is exteriorly threaded and has a flared bore section 47 at its outer end, an annular wedgeshaped gasket 48 disposed in the bore section, and an apertured cap 49 for inserting the tube 16 therethrough, which cap is threadedly secured to the extension 46 and in abutting engagement with a protective shim 50 disposed at the outer end of the gasket 48 for eifecting compression of the gasket 48 to form an air-tight seal between the tube 16 and the extension.

Also as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the terminal block 25 is secured against a downwardly facing shoulder 51 in the body 20 by a pair of screws 52, and has a notch or recess 53 through which the conductors 18 and 27 extend. The terminal 26 on the block includes a bolt 54 for receiving the terminal ends of the conductors 18 and 27 and a nut 55 threadedly secured to bolt 54 for maintaining the terminal ends of the conductors in electrical connection. A lock nut 56 threadedly secured on bolt 54 against the terminal block 25 prevents loosening of the bolt 54 during removal of the nut 55 while also acting as a spacer for the conductor terminals.

As shown in FIG. 4, the terminal housing 15 is.removably secured to the casing by providing the casing with a slot 57 at the end thereof in which the extension 31 is positioned and by placing a gasket 58 and nut 59 adjacent a shoulder of the threaded portion of the extension 31 to clamp the casing sections adjacent the slot 57 against the portion of the body 20 surrounding the extension 31. The housing body 20 may be enclosed by a box-like structure 60 which is movable with the guard 14 and is removably attached to the casing member 10.

As seen in FIG. 6, the casing 10 includes a bifurcated, depending plate member 61 having a slot 62 for permitting the lamp 16 and extension 46 to pass therethrough.

In order to remove a burnt-out lamp tube 16, each of the conductors 18 is first disconnected at the power source 17, after which the guard 14 is unhinged, as shown in FIG. 3, to provide access to the interior. Both covers 29 are next removed and then the nuts 55 to free the terminal ends of the conductors 18 and 27, after which each sleeve 35 with its assembly is unthreaded as a unit from the extension 31 and removed therefrom. Each nut 59 is next unthreaded from the extension 31 to free the entire terminal housing from the casing 10, which housings 15 and lamp 16 are removed as a unit from the casing 10. Each cap 49 is removed from its extension 46 and then the lamp 16 with its conductors 27 at each end is removed from the housings 15.

A new tube can now be inserted, secured and electrically connected by following the foregoing procedure in reverse order.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the present invention provides an arrangement for sealing terminals, connectors and conductors of fluorescent and heating type lamps to prevent the infiltration of moisture, sea air and the like, whereby such elements will not be corroded and can be readily disconnected to remove and replace the lamp tubes. The arrangement is constructed of a minimum number of relatively inexpensive parts which can be assembled in a convenient manner.

As various changes may be made in the form, construction, and arrangement of the parts herein, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matters are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in any limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

In a lamp, the combination of an elongate casing for a reflector, said casing having a pair of slots at each end thereof; an elongate tube disposed in said casing having a terminal at each end thereof; an electrical conductor connected to each of said terminals; an electrical power conductor for each end of said tube; a pair of air-tight housings; and means for securing each of said housings to said casings; said housings each including a body having an enlarged opening for access to the interior of said body and having an opening opposite said enlarged opening for one of said power conductors and having an opening intermediate said aforementioned openings for receiving one end of said tube, a terminal block mounted in said body having means thereon facing said enlarged opening for electrically connecting one of said power conductors to one of said tube conductors, and air-tight closure means for said openings, said opening opposite said enlarged opening and said intermediate opening each including an extension extending through said slots respectively, and said air-tight closure means for said preceding openings each including an element threadedly secured to said extensions respectively and clamping said casing against said housing bodies to thereby provide said means for securing said housings to said casing.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,469,034 9/ 2'3 Benjamin 24026 2,313,983 3/43 Yost et al. 24011.4 X 2,392,202 1/ 46 Tornblom 24051.11 X 2,874,270 2/59 Douglass et a1 2405l.11 X 3,108,751 10/63 Rodmaker et a1 2405l.11

NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner.

EVON C. BLUNK, Examiner, 

